Antoine Fuqua picks out his favourite films of the 21st Century
Antoine Fuqua had initially been known for directing music videos for the likes of Prince, Stevie Wonder and Coolio. In fact, he did the latter’s video for ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’. However, in 1998, Fuqua turned his talents to feature films and directed Training Day in 2001.
Beginning his film career more or less at the turn of the millennium, Fuqua is well-placed to consider the greatest films of the 21st Century. Fortunately, the critically acclaimed director once noted his favourite movies since the global worries about the millennium bug ceased.
In an interview with The New York Times, Fuqua said, “I love all types of films: great character-driven pieces and entertainment like Gravity and Avatar that transported me to other places and filled me with wonderment — a reminder to us all to continue pushing our vision. Like everyone else, I just like to grab my popcorn and sit back and enjoy what Hollywood is all about in movies like Gladiator, a throwback to the David Lean days of epic filmmaking.”
Fuqua noted Denzel Washington’s period drama Fences, claiming it to be “a feast of masterful acting.” He added: “Denzel Washington did an incredible job of not only directing but also having the laser-like focus and discipline to stay true and elevate to the big screen one of our most talented and celebrated playwrights.”
Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty dramatised the seemingly never endless hunt for Osama bin Laden following the September 11th terrorist attacks. Fuqua greatly admires the film; he said it is “an important portrayal of the events that led to the killing of bin Laden that sustained intensity and tension, even when it was only two people in the room talking. I thought Kathryn Bigelow did a masterful job.”
While Roman Polanski has had his fair share of controversy surrounding his personal life and, therefore, his works, Fuqua could not help but pay homage to The Pianist. He said: “Not only was Adrien Brody fantastic portraying Wladyslaw Szpilman, but Roman Polanski took us through this tragic journey elegantly and emotionally. And it’s a film that I have watched several times, and I always see something new in the frame.”
Known for his 20th Century body horror films, David Cronenberg switched things up in the 21st Century and collaborated several times with Viggo Mortensen, including 2007’s Eastern Promises. It’s clearly a film that Fuqua is a fan of, as he said that Mortensen was “one of the coldest gangsters I’ve seen in a while, and his performance was as detailed, dangerous and scary as you could possibly get.”
Check out the complete list of Antoine Fuqua’s favourite films of the 21st Century below.
Antoine Fuqua’s favourite films of the 21st Century:
- Fences (Denzel Washington, 2016)
- Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008)
- Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin, 2012)
- Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow, 2012)
- Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)
- Munich (Steven Spielberg, 2005)
- There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2005)
- The Pianist (Roman Polanski, 2002)
- Eastern Promises (David Cronenberg, 2007)
- Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000)
